Student world news round up 28/11/17

Magda Nasr, a member of the committee on education and scientific research of the House of Representatives, called for the installation of cameras in all examination halls at Egyptian universities to prevent cheating and lack of discipline.

This move is part of Egypt’s efforts to enhance the quality of the country’s university education and to deter churning out low quality graduates. The country’s examination system has been plagued by cheating over recent years, particularly in high schools. – Full report on the Egypt Today site

Students’ union to investigate campus sexual harassment (UK)

Sexual harassment in universities is to be investigated by the National Union of Students, which is conducting the United Kingdom’s first survey of staff sexual misconduct in higher education. Students will be asked whether they have experienced or witnessed sexual misconduct by staff and about their experience of reporting this behaviour to their institution. The National Union of Students said this was particularly important given recent findings that one-third of the UK’s universities did not have a policy on staff-student relationships. – Full report on The Guardian site

Universities to introduce course to counter extremism (Pakistan)

Alarmed by the rising trend of extremism among students, Pakistan’s top universities gathered in Islamabad to discuss their role in countering the threat of radicalisation and instilling peaceful ideology. As many as 80 university vice-chancellors attended the conference on “the role of universities in advancing national narrative to counter violence, extremism and terrorism” last Monday, organised by the Islamic Research Institute of International Islamic University, in collaboration with the Higher Education Commission of Pakistan.

The participants said sectarian hatred and imposing one’s ideology was against the constitution of Pakistan. The vice-chancellors and ministers agreed that non-Muslims must be provided full protection and higher education institutions must discourage discriminatory attitudes. – Full report on the Gulf News site

US Justice Department threatens to sue Harvard University

The United States Justice Department has threatened to sue Harvard University to force it to turn over documents as it investigates whether the Ivy League university’s admission policies violate civil rights laws. The department is probing the Cambridge, Massachusetts-based university’s compliance with Title VI of the 1964 Civil Rights Act, according to the letter seen by Reuters. The measure prohibits institutions that receive federal funding from discriminating based on race, colour or national origin. – Full report on the Time site